Historic American Journalism

Expecting Too Much in Old London Town

They are telling a story in Paris on Sinclair Lewis, author of Main Street, that is unconfirmed by Mr. Lewis, but that has a strange ring of truth about it.

According to the story, Lewis on a recent visit to London, where he was working on a new novel to appear this fall, expressed a desire to ride in Rotten Row. He was astonished at the shortness of the Row and said as much to the groom that was accompanying him.

The groom, who had been eyeing Lewis’s seat in a grieved and pained manner for some time, drew himself up in disgust.

“Well, sir,” he said very haughtily over the top of his stock, “You cawn’t expect the bloomin’ prairies ’ere sir.”

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